Educate yourself and become an advocate for the safety of women, girls, and vulnerable people in our community
It’s a common misconception that human trafficking only takes place in big cities and bustling metropolises.
In reality, this is far from the truth.
GuelphToday reports that two thirds of human trafficking in Canada happen in Ontario, and recruitment often takes place in “isolated, rural communities” like Wellington County.
On Oct. 13, the Wellington County Police Service Board held a meeting to address local trafficking concerns. There, OPP Const. Beth Hickey told the board that Wellington residents were “appealing” to traffickers because the area is close to the 401. Victims are often taken from smaller communities and transported to urban areas via major highways.
“People don’t traffic people in the area of where they’re from; they move them around,” said Victim Services Wellington’s Executive Director Elizabeth Kent in the article.
“With other more serious crimes, people in small towns tend to insulate themselves by saying ‘it doesn’t happen here because we all know each other and it’s a small community.'”
The awful fact of the matter is, crime can happen anywhere, and it happens here.
During the week of Aug. 27, 2021, a 20-year-old Guelph man was arrested by Waterloo Regional Police after police were tipped off that the man “had sexual relations with the victim and began to make money from them being involved in the sex trade.”
The arrest was made as part of an ongoing investigation into human trafficking by a joint Waterloo-Guelph Human Trafficking team.
The man faces several charges, including trafficking in persons, material benefit, sexual assault, advertising sexual services, procuring, assault, and breach of probation. The victim has since been provided with a safety plan and access to community resources.
According to some of the board speakers, traffickers can engage with victims online and lure them into the trade. The internet is thus a “key source” for grooming and luring. Recruitment can also happen when traffickers post false job advertisements or pretend to be a victim’s friend or partner.
Luring can look different between perpetrators, as the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking (CCTEHT) reports that there are two types of “pimps” in the trafficking industry.
The Romeo Pimp will draw in their victims with false promises of affection, money, and/or work or education opportunities. Alternatively, the Gorilla Pimp will use violence and sexual assault to “break” their victims into the industry. Once lured in, victims are isolated from friends and family and often moved from place to place
Victims are then coerced to stay due to threats of violence and/or deception. Even when they’re able to escape the trafficking, victims may choose not to come forward for various reasons including but not limited to: not recognizing they were a victim of human trafficking, lacking trust in law enforcement, or fearing for their or their loved ones’ safety due to threats made by the traffickers.
It’s important to learn about the warning signs of human trafficking and make sure those around you know them too. The CCTEHT says there are lots of ways to help in this regard:
- Learn about trafficking and the indicators of grooming and luring, then share this information with friends and family as well as the young people in your life.
- Speak out against sexual exploitation and forced labour, start a dialogue with your kids, coworkers, or neighbours, and advocate for women and girls who are exploited.
- Find out what your local representatives are doing to address human trafficking and support local ethical businesses that don’t promote exploited labour.
- Call the police, Crime Stoppers, or a sexual assault line if you suspect that someone is a victim of human trafficking, and volunteer with front-line organizations that assist survivors.
Anyone with information concerning potential human trafficking victims is encouraged to contact the joint Waterloo-Guelph Human Trafficking team at intel.ht@wrps.on.ca or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
Local health supports are also available to anyone who needs them:
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